2.7 Climatic Conditions and Zones (Pages 74-82)

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2.7 Climatic Conditions and Zones (Pages 74-82)
Page 75 - Figure 5.1
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Read Textbook Page 74

• A climatic region is set apart from other
  climatic regions by a set of characteristics
  (i.e. temperature range, precipitation levels,
  patterns of sunniness or cloudiness, wind
  conditions, length of each season, and the way
  its seasons vary).
• There are six climatic regions, which include 1.
  Tropical 2. Dry 3. Temperate Mild Winter 4.
  Temperate Cold Winter 5. Polar and 6. Highlands.

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2.7.1 Describe climatic conditions within
selected zones (Page 75)

• Each of the 6 climate regions has sub-regions.

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2.7.1 Continued

• Tropical Climates
• - Tropical Wet
• - Tropical Wet and Dry
• Dry Climates
• - Semi-Arid or Steppe
• - Arid or Dry
• Temperate Mild Winter Climates
• - Mediterranean
• - Subtropical
• - Marine West Coast

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2.7.1 Continued

• Temperate Cold Winter Climates
• - Continental, Warm Summer
• - Continental, Cool Summer
• - Subarctic
• Polar Climates
• - Tundra
• - Icecap
• 6. Highlands Climate

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Stuff About Climographs

• Temperature is plotted as a line graph joining
  the 12 months of the year.
• Precipitation is shown as a series of bars, one
  for each month.

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1. Tropical Climates

• All Tropical Climates Temperatures over 18 0C
  every day due to low latitude and warm ocean
  currents and prevailing winds blowing from
  equatorial region.

Tropical Wet heavy rain all year due to hot
temperatures and resulting convectional rain.
Tropical Wet and Dry very heavy summer rain and
very dry winter due to seasonal shift in
prevailing winds. (remember monsoons from the
previous section?
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Tropical Climographs

• Tropical Wet Climograph
• Precipitation in each month is high.
• Temperatures are constant and high (19-27 0C)
  (always above 18 º C).

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Tropical Climographs

• Tropical Wet and Dry Climograph
• E.g. Page 76 Bombay, India
• Precipitation is very high in summer months and
  very low in winter months (MONSOONS)
• Temperatures are relatively constant and high
  (19-27 0C) (always above 18 º C).

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2. Dry Climates

• All Dry Climates
• Receive lt 500 mm of precipitation annually.
• More evaporation than precipitation.
• Little vegetation and is windy.

• Semi-arid or Steppe
• Transition zone between desert and forest.
• 250-500 mm of rain annually.

• Arid or Desert
• Occurs between 10-30 oN and 10-30 oS.
• 10-250 mm of rain annually.

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Dry Climographs

• Arid or Desert Climograph
• E.g. Page 76 - Figure 5.2 Alice Springs,
  Australia.
• Precipitation in each month is low (total less
  than 250 mm).
• Temperature may vary seasonally.

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Dry Climographs

• Semi-arid or Steppe Climograph
• E.g. Page 77 - Figure 5.4 (top left climograph).
• Precipitation in each month is fairly low (total
  less than 500 mm).
• Temperature may vary seasonally.

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3. Temperate Mild Winter Climate

• All Temperate Mild Winter
• Located in the mid-latitudes.
• Mild winters.
• Temperatures vary with seasons.

• Mediterranean
• Limited to the Mediterranean Sea area.

• Marine West Coast
• Is located further from the equator.
• Is warmed by warm ocean currents.

• Subtropical
• East coast of continents.
• Close to the tropics.

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Temperate Mild Winter Climographs

• Summer temperatures vary, but winter months
  (even the coldest month) are warmer than 3 oC.

Marine West Coast
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4. Temperate Cold Winter Climates

• Summer temperatures vary, but some winter months
  are colder than 3 oC. Only occurs in the
  Northern Hemisphere

Continental Warm Summer
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5. Polar Climates

• Short summer season.
• Small amounts of precipitation.

Ice Caps Summer temperature are never above 0 oC.
Tundra Summer temperatures are never above 10 oC.
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6. HIGHLANDS(Alpine)

• Due to elevation and involves areas
• higher than 1000 m.
• Highland climates vary depending on a
• combination of four factors
• 1. Latitude
• 2. Elevation (Altitude)
• 3. Topography
• 4. Continental Location
• Remember 2C decrease/300m increase

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2.7.2 Patterns of Climatic Zones

• Globally speaking, where is each climatic zone
  concentrated?

1. Tropical?
2. Dry?
3. Temperate?
4. Polar?
5. Highlands?

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Answers

• Tropical Near the equator and between 23.5 º N
  and S (i.e. Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of
  Capricorn). The Tropical Wet and Dry sub-region
  is farther from the equator from the Tropic Wet
  sub-region.
• Dry (Desert or Arid) Between 10 º and 30 º N
  and S. Also, on the west coasts of continents and
  on the leeward side of mountains.
• Dry (Semi-Arid or Steppe) Between the Tropical
  Wet and Dry sub-region and the dry Desert or Arid
  sub-region.
• Temperate Mild Winter Found in the
  mid-latitudes or on seas or ocean coasts.
  Mediterranean West coasts of continents and in
  areas around the Mediterranean Sea. Subtropical
  East coasts of continents. Marine West Coast
  West coasts of continents, but at higher
  latitudes.

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Answers

• Temperate Cold Winter Mid-latitudes similar to
  temperate mild winter however, it is more
  continental (meaning farther inland). Subarctic
  sub-region Between 50 and 70 º N.
• Polar Located north and south of 60 º. Tundra
  Closer to oceans. Icecaps Farther inland.
• Highlands Due to elevation and involves areas
  higher than 1000 m.

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2.7.2 Practice

• Do Question 2 on page 75 (Part A Only).

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Georgetown, Guyana Tropical WetBombay, India
Tropical Wet and Dry Monsoonal, Dry winter
months, and Hot.Montreal, Canada Temperate
Cold Winter Seasonal.Alice Springs, Australia
Between Arid and Semi-Arid Dry, Seasonal, Hot
Summer.
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2.7.2 Practice

• Do Question 2 on page 75 (Part B Only)

• Montreal and Alice Springs have the widest
  temperature ranges.
• RE Temperature colder winter in Montreal and
  warmer summer in Alice Springs.
• RE Precipitation more in Montreal and evenly
  distributed.
• RE Months of Summer opposite summer months due
  to northern (J, J, A) and southern (D, J, F, M)
  hemispheres.

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2.7.2 Practice

• Do Question 2 on page 75 (Part C Only)
• Different hemispheres give opposite seasons based
  on which months each hemisphere is tilted towards
  the sun and away from the sun.

• Do Question 2 on page 75 (Part D Only).
• Montreal Temperate Cold Winter
• Alice Springs Semi-Arid or Steppe

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Page 77 Sites A, B, and C

• Site C Singapore Tropical Wet
• Flat and high temperature line.
• Rainfall is heavy all year long.
• Site B Toronto Continent, Cool Summer
  (Temperate Cold Winter)
• High temperature range.
• Coldest winter month is below -3 º C.
• Site A New Zealand Marine West Coast
  (Temperate Mild Winter)
• Warm winters.
• Precipitation in both winter and summer.

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Random Questions

• What is the most widespread climatic zone in the
  low latitudes?
• What are two climatic zones that have dry
  conditions for most of the year?
• Which climatic zone is most widespread in North
  Africa?
• Which continents do not experience continental
  climates (3)?
• What climate zone represents St. Johns,
  Newfoundland?